Homecoming
by arisaswordheart
Summary: Ed tries to find a way to return to his 'world'. He meets old enemies and friends and family. For better or for worse? [Im not continuing this one either unless requested, I wrote this a LONG time ago...] [Read and Review] Not sure of Genre.
1. Equivalent Trade and Return

**

* * *

Customary Disclaimers Apply to this chapter and all after this one.

* * *

****Chapter 1: Equivalent Trade; Return**

* * *

Edward Elric couldn't believe what he was seeing. The blood red stone on his hand shimmered, like a ruby. How could the Kenjya-no-Ishi, or the Philosopher's Stone, exist in the other world, in the world he lived in now, where alchemy was not even used?

Then again, he was glad to have found it. The Philosopher's Stone had extremely powerful alchemic properties, and would be wonderful aid in this world. Anyway, perhaps this was his one chance to get back to Al, his little brother, even though he wasn't sure whether it would work…

Edward got out a piece of chalk from his pocket. He had never given up on the search for a means to return to his own world, his original world. Thinking for a while, Edward knelt and etched out a Rensei-jin, transmutation circle - after all, alchemy was hard enough in this world with a circle, he would need one, even if he had the Kenjya-no-Ishi, even if he WAS the Fullmetal Alchemist. Edward gingerly placed his hands on the circle.

The circle glowed and flashed with blue light.

* * *

Alphonse Elric trotted out of Central, puffing slightly. Where was the library again? After all these years, he still kept his resolve to get his brother back. He remembered nothing though of the incident when the two of them had tried to resurrect their mother, breaking the taboo on human transmutation. He remembered nothing of their long and perilous journey – or let's say, quest – to regain their original bodies. He had been told, however, by Winry and his other friends, of the events which had happened, though only Edward himself would know the facts about the entire journey, after all, his brother had been beside him all along, even if he didn't remember it.

Edward Elric, his brother had given up his own body a few years ago so Alphonse could return to his. As much as Alphonse though his brother was a _baka_ for doing it, he had to feel grateful for the extended life and feel respect for his brother's sacrifice, as well as 'brotherly love', of course…

Not only had he forgotten about all the events though, Alphonse had also come back 'unaged'. He was now, instead of one year younger than his brother, would be almost six years younger if his brother had been alive. Even Winry, was now much older than him, for all she stayed with him, sometimes, he felt a little left out.

"Al?" there was a shout from inside, as he heard approaching footsteps.

Al turned to see Rose running towards him. "Hi, how's the search going?"

Rose had come to Central from the East a few months ago. The now Fuhrer, Roy Mustang, let her off the hook, saying she had nothing to do with the War (more like massacre) in Lior three years previously which had cost many of the lives of military men when Scar created the Philosopher's Stone in the empty armour which was Al. Rose had been named as the leader of the rebellion and had been force to go into hiding. When the news was announced publicly, Brigadier General Hawkeye had smiled knowingly.

As much as the Fuhrer seemed confident, he was in deep guilt over the 'death' of Ed. He had done what Mustang would have never tried to do, given up his body to save another, even if the other did not remember him. Mustang had been deeply affected by his best friend, Maes Hughes', murder, and yet did nothing about it, until at last the Homunculus Fuhrer was 'killed'.

Roy knew though, as well as anyone did, that the true killer of Hughes-san was still alive, in a sense. As alive as Edward had to be anyway, as Envy had followed Edward through the Gate and neither had been heard of since.

Winry come now with Scieszka in tow. She waved merrily as she dashed into an automail parts shop, the look on her face which was usually associated with automail. Scieszka looked like she was about to drop and shot a pleading look at Al which obviously said silently 'save me', but Al only grinned back.

Even though no one had shown it, they were more affected over Ed's 'death' than they admitted. Al could see it in the way Rose would look sad whenever she saw someone doing alchemy, Winry would be somber as she looked over the automail arms and legs in her workshop, Scieszka would stare at the books Ed used for a long while, remembering that she had helped him; at least a little, Mustang would look fierce, hiding the guilt deep inside, and Riza Hawkeye would be simply silent, not revealing anything in her face yet her posture revealing sadness. Lieutenants Maria Ross and Denny Brosh were also quite affected by Edward's death in their own way. They couldn't believe the Fullmetal Alchemist, who had never give up, would just give up his own life without a fight.

Al turned suddenly as he saw and heard an alchemic reaction. Only a small reaction, yet it seemed powerful. Al watched the bright blue electric light running over the ground.

It was coming… from underground…

* * *

Edward pulled his hands back off the transmutation circle. The Gate hadn't opened, why in the world had he thought it would? He mused for a while before rolling his eyes at himself. The years of not doing alchemy must have diminished his knowledge greatly for not remembering to get something to trade for the gateway. Toukan-koukan, equivalent trade. Even if there was no Law of Equivalent Trade, he still needed something to gain something. He hadn't offered anything so hadn't received anything.

He sighed. Did he really want to leave that badly though? For now, it was okay. He had found his brother's parallel, had found the parallel for Rose, had found a parallel for Winry. They were all quite the same. There was a parallel for everyone he knew, the same in appearance, in personality, and yet, so different. He had even found a parallel for Hughes-san, who had died in the other world, his _own_ world. Even though Ed knew he was dead, it was nice to be able to talk to him again, his playful humour was strangely reassuring…

Ed clenched his mechanical right hand. Before he had passed through the Gate, he had been whole, yet the Gate had spat him out again missing his arm and his leg…_yet_ he regained the mechanical parts from his automail, ironically. His father, Hoenhiem, hadn't been able to make him automail, but gave him a robotic arm which he could use, but wasn't as durable or as steady as automail could ever be. He was glad though for his robotic limbs. Life could be even worse without them.

Edward's trained ears heard a low growl behind him and he twirled around. His eyes widened as he saw the person – or more accurate – _thing _behind him. It resembled a dragon, yet Ed knew it was Envy, or to be more exact, his elder half-brother and a homunculus.

Edward sprang back, grabbing the Philosopher's Stone, and whipped out the chalk again. Hurriedly scribbling a transmutation circle – although he wasn't sure if this would work, trying to open the Gate was one thing and this was another, besides it hadn't even worked – Edward placed his hands on the circle and transmuted a spear out of the ground.

Grabbing the spear, he whirled to face Envy.

_

* * *

_

**[ANCIENT Author's Notes:**

_Something which I'm not really happy about though is how I can figure out whether to use Edward or Ed. In the anime they always go "Edo" and "Aru" and I suppose that because they always do that with non-japanese words but writing that seems wrong too…and keeping on writing Edward and Alphonse is annoying._

_Notice that I've given people promotions too:_

_Roy Mustang – Fuhrer_

_Riza Hawkeye – Brigadier General_

_Maria Ross – Lieutenant_

_Denny Brosh – Lieutenant_

_I didn't mention Alex Louis Armstrong but he can be a Brigadier General too._

_How is this going to end? Wait and see for yourself!! _

* * *

**New Author's Notes:** I'm not sure this would work... it wouldnt in my current theory...

* * *


	2. Automail

**

* * *

**

* * *

Envy struck viciously with his sharp claws and fangs and Ed countered hurriedly, yet expertly, with the spear. Envy fastened his jaws around the weapon as Edward drew back a little after a round of attacks. Ed tried to twist the spear out of Envy's grip. As they broke apart once again, footsteps approached… quick ones…

"Edward!" Hoenhiem yelled at his son as he ran towards the struggling two. "Go! I shall be the sacrifice."

Hoenhiem pulled out a knife from his over coat and cut one of his major veins. Ed stared at his father and at the blood which was now pouring out of the wound.

"What are you waiting for?!"

Edward jolted into action out of his reverie and began to run towards the transmutation circle once more. Skidding a little as he stopped at the transmutation circle he stared at his father again, a frown on his face.

Hoenhiem smiled at him. "I know you still hate me for leaving your mother and you and your brother, but I have no regrets in seeing you again." He paused. "Go back across the Gate to your little brother."

Ed frowned, although he used to hate his father, that was true, he could remember a time he loved him too, and since his fight with Envy a few years ago, he had felt rather differently. In fact, ever since he passed through the Gate, he hadn't seemed to hate his father has much.

In that minute that he pondered, Envy struck out at Hoenhiem. Hoenhiem pulled out his walking stick from where he had dropped it and fended Envy off easily.

"GO!" Hoenhiem yelled, hitting Envy out of the way, "What are you waiting for? Trade me for a passageway to the other world!" He looked at his blood-covered fingers. "…There's no point for me to stay any longer..." He looked imploringly at Ed, browns drawn downwards. "This is what I want to do."

Envy was approaching again. Ed looked at his father worriedly once more and strengthened his resolve. He placed his hands firmly on the transmutation circle. Gripping his Philosopher's Stone carefully, he started the transmutation.

Bright blue light shone in the dim light. Edward felt himself disappear, a bit like then time when he came over to the world he was in now, not that he was even sure he was a world anymore. What he nor Hoenhiem, who had hit Envy away once again, didn't realize, was Envy's sneaking in behind him.

Envy was going to go through the Gate too.

Envy was going to return to the other world…

* * *

Hoenhiem watched as his body deteriorated. He smiled though as Edward disappeared among the light. Suddenly he noticed though, Envy's trying to sneak through as last time. Hoenhiem frowned. Something was going to happen to that boy. He didn't pay for his passage and would later have to pay. 

"Hoenhiem!" a young woman ran out.

"Trisha?" Hoenhiem's eyes widened, he hadn't realized that Trish might be alive in _this_ world. Its not that he hadn't looked, but he had never caught the faintest glimpse of her. How she would know him too, also baffled him.

"I ..I…." Trisha threw herself into the transmutation circle to hug his body. Hoenhiem's eyes widened a little as he saw what was happening

As their two bodies deteriorated, the last thing Hoenhiem heard was…

"I …love you…"

* * *

Edward fell out of the sky and landed painfully. Well to be exact, he was underground, and therefore he fell out of the ceiling, but… boy was the ceiling up high! Ed had managed to stop himself from falling all the way with an very hurried unconscious transmutation. 

How he managed this feat though, was one thing that Ed couldn't fathom. His robotic limbs were gone once more and all he could do now was use a transmutation circle. He looked humouredly at the transmutation he had drawn, which was more like an oval than a circle, not to mention very messy.

Drawing a more complex circle quickly, he lowered himself to the floor and clambered off with his one leg and one arm.

This wasn't gonna be easy. No way it wasn't….

Ed sighed…

* * *

Alphonse raced down the stairs as he felt the surge of power rise once more. A blockade! No doubt one built after Ed's disappearance to stop others going inside. Al pulled on his gloves, ones like Mustang's ones, or rather a bit like Kimbley's hands, with transmutation circles on the palms. Placing his hands on the wall, there was a flash of bright blue light as he blasted it apart. 

He had trained with the gloves for a while. He wasn't used to not using a transmutation circle, however, the Fuhrer (Roy Mustang) had promised he could try out for the State Alchemist test next year if he studied hard enough. Alphonse wanted to follow in his brother's footsteps.

It wasn't like he hadn't tried doing his brother's way either. He could have clapped until the cows came home and he still wouldn't be able to do a transmutation without the transmutation circle. Why? He had seen the 'Gate' hadn't he? Even if he didn't remember… he had!!

He heard running in the distance behind him. Winry and Rose perhaps. He placed his hands on the next wall, light flashing again as he also blasted that apart. He wondered what could have made that huge surge of power though.

Blasting apart the _next_ wall, he ran onwards.

* * *

Edward crawled as best as he could across the floor. It wasn't easy, no indeed, especially since his trailing sleeve and pant leg kept getting in the way. It was one of those times he got annoyed over the loss of his arm and leg, not that he hadn't been annoyed about it before, but this case was different, more so too. Edward grabbed the Philosopher's Stone protectively as he heard running footsteps and threw himself behind a boulder. He jarred his shoulder and leg as he fell and winced in pain. 

There was a spark of electric light blue light and a huge crash as a wall was blasted open, but Ed didn't check to see if it was anyone he knew. Boy, did he make a lot of noise, was the person looking for him or was that person just here to steal something? _Somehow_ Ed didn't think so.

He heard quiet footsteps walk across. Suddenly they stopped and began again faster, at what seemed to be a run. He heard something clang, meaning metal being picked up off the ground. He winced as he realized that it was his pocket watch, which must have fallen out.

The pocket watch. He had had it carved into the State Alchemist's emblem and with the same engraving of the words: Don't forget 3.Oct.10… a reminder of his past, and present.

There was a silence as the person seemed to mull over what they saw. Then suddenly…

"Nan-dao! I come down here and this is _all_ I find? Where did the power come from?" There was a click as it was opened. "This State Alchemist pocket watch seems different somehow though..."

The frustrated, annoyed voice seemed similar somehow. Why did it? Then he remembered… his whole life with the owner of that voice and in that one minute had forgotten?

"Al…phon..se…?" he said incredulously.

Alphonse head whipped around.

"Who…?...niisan?!"

Ed crawled out painfully and smiled at his younger brother who was staring in shock, the pocket watch slipping slowly out of his hand. Suddenly, Rose, Winry and Scieszka came barreling in.

"Masete!"

"KYAAAA! AL!!"

"Chotto Matte!" (it suddenly got a lot noisier!)

Lieutenants Maria Ross and Denny Brosh came running in after them.

"You know you're not allowed down here!"

Rose was off again, running towards Al. Suddenly she stopped and fell onto her knees, face paling and eyes widening.

"E…d….?"

Winry gasped and sprinted to her at full speed.

"ED?!"

Edward sat awkwardly crossed legged on the floor and he laughed nervously. "Um, 'hi' might not be so appropriate here…"

The Lieutenants could only stare as Winry went over to hug Edward. Winry sniffed back the tears and let her friend go.

"Here." she said strictly, opening a suitcase which everyone (not including Edward) had long noticed she had carried everywhere, though they didn't know why. The next instant they all understood though as she pulled out an automail arm and leg.

"Winry!" Edward said, alarmed. "I've grown taller, you know!"

Winry waved a hand at him dismissively. "I'm not that much of a _baka_. I've made it to fit you, not that _you_ would _ever_ grow, "micro-chiibi"!"

Ed glared at Winry.

"Who are you calling chiibi? When did you start imitation Pinako-baachan?"

Winry just grinned and began to do a little inspection of the automail before she gave it to him. She glared at him, her look obviously saying, make yourself useful or shut up. Ed sighed and rolled up his pant leg and took off his shirt.

Winry handed the automail leg to Scieszka.

"Here, you connect this…" she said distractedly.

"What?!" Even after stayed with Winry so long, Scieszka still was freaked out about automail.

"Just push it in firmly and I'll do the rest."

As Winry checked that the automail was in place, Ed braced himself for the pain he would feel… he had forgotten that.

"One… two… THREE!"

Edward gritted his teeth in pain as the automail snapped into place. Lieutenant Brosh extended a hand as Edward opened one eye painfully. Wincing, Ed got up. He turned towards Al but Al took one look at the scarcely hidden pain on Ed's face, swiped back up the pocketwatch and ran.

"AL!"

Rose sobbed as she watched Ed straighten up slowly and stretch. The feeling of wearing automail was strange after all those years. Neither Rose nor Winry could fathom however, why Ed was still missing limbs when he had got them back before and also … well… what happened to Wrath…

Everyone yelled out as Ed suddenly collapsed and hit the floor, passing out in pure exhaustion.

_

* * *

_

**[ANCIENT Author's Notes:**

_The Trisha running towards Hoenhiem bit I made up on the spot because there had to be an extra person to support Envy's passing through the Gate. It probably sounds like Trisha was sacrificing herself or something but I'm not too sure myself really. But if I hadn't added Trisha, Envy would have probably perished in the attempt and that could mess up the story (no hints!!) I also think that making Hoenhiem an 'offering' was a weird idea, I wasn't too sure how to make Hoenhiem kill himself too._

_I noticed there was quite a lot more dialogue at the ending, and all I can say is _gomen ne_. I also had too many characters clustered down there. Maybe I could have cut out the Lieutenants but I felt they were needed. Schieszka was there more because she and Winry seem the 'supporting each other' type._

_And Al runs away again… (sweat) except for different reasons.. there's no war!! (glare)_

_Wondering about the relationship between Winry and Scieszka.. and what are Winry's true feelings? Have you noticed the story's only been two sided for now? Al and Ed._

_Get ready for more!!_

_**NOTE ABOUT THE LAST CHAPTER:**_

_I know I used 'door' before, that was influence from Tobira wa Mukou e, and I have edited the last chapter so it doesn't say 'door' anymore and now says 'gate'._

_Also, as much as I'd like to write Edowardo and Edo and Aruphonse and Aru, well, it just doesn't _look_ right.. which kind of kills it…_

* * *

**New Author's Notes:** How weird it sounds...

* * *


	3. New Beginnings

**

* * *

Chapter 3: New Beginnings

* * *

**

Edward awoke in hospital. His arm and leg still ached a little from the automail. He turned his head and noticed Rose, Winry and Scieszka sitting asleep in a couch by his window.

Edward got up off his bed and walked around the room a little. He was slowly getting used to using the automail again. Ed turned as the door opened again.

"Mustang –? " Ed was cut off by Brigadier General Hawkeye.

"The Fuhrer is here to visit you"

Ed stared at Roy Mustang, eye patch and all, who strolled in after Hawkeye.

"Fuhrer?!"

Mustang didn't comment but eventually sighed.

"Hagane, it is good to see you again."

Ed raised an eyebrow.

"You know as well as I do that I'm not Hagane no Renkinjutsushi, The FullMetal Alchemist, anymore."

The other three on the couch stirred, saw who was in the room and sprang up, Scieszka saluting.

"Fuhrer!"

Edward laughed.

* * *

Alphonse roamed the street. He had finally met his brother, and yet, while he was glad his brother was back, he also felt worse. 

Al had vowed to bring his brother back before. He was immensely grateful that his brother was back but that he hadn't been able to lift a hand the whole entire time to do anything was what hurt. His brother in the end had had to resort to his own means, instead of with the help of Al.

Al noticed he was still gripping his brother's fake State Alchemist watch. He wondered why he had grabbed it again before. As he stared at the watch, the tears began to fall. He wanted to remember his brother, he wanted to help his brother, and yet, he was powerless.

Lost in his own world, Al didn't notice the steel arm glinting in the bright morning sunlight behind him and the sneer on the wearer's face…

* * *

Ed was surprised as Mustang made his announcement. 

"What? You're giving me back my title as State Alchemist?"

Mustang nodded.

"Yes…or don't you want it?"

Edward frowned, thinking it over.

"I don't want to be a Gu no inu, a dog of the military, anymore, Fuhrer."

Mustang smiled, the old look returning to his one eye.

"Of course you'll get a promotion. A position closer to mine where 'it wont matter whether you obeyed or not' as I do quote."

Ed gaped at him.

"How will you achieve that? People will want a reason for my return, let alone promotion!"

Mustang put a hand on his hips, raising his eyebrows.

"Didn't you 'eliminate' all the homunculus now, hmm?"

Ed began to grin, but then stopped and remembered two things… or was it three?

"All right Fuhrer, but I've got things to tell you all right now. Fuhrer, can you gather all the people who were with us in the homunculus case?"

Mustang nodded.

"Give me an hour, Hagane, and it's done."

* * *

Alphonse twirled around quickly as he heard a soft clang from behind him. It was surely the sound of automail. Did his brother come searching for him? The guilt swirled in his heart again. But his heart leapt all the same when he saw the automail arm, but not when he saw _who_ was behind it. 

"Wrath…" Al hissed as he backed away from the homunculus.

"You…" Wrath spat out, his face contorted.

Although Wrath sounded fiercely angry, Al noticed tears dripping from his face. After all that, even if Wrath was a homunculus, he was still just a little boy, not unlike himself. Although he couldn't remember the first time he saw Wrath, he heard from his friends and from his somber sensei and he understood what must have happened. Wrath did not seem to hold a grudge against Ed, but however still attacked them in what looked like a mad frenzy over his lost 'mama'.

Still, that didn't mean he was ready to die. Al stood in a defensive fighting stance.

"Come…"

* * *

Edward looked at the people assembled in the room. All his friends, some looked unfamiliar, but he knew most of them. Winry and Rose were there also to provide their support of which he was grateful. 

Now, dressed in his clothes of his old "alchemist style" and with the same style of pants and boots, belt and a new State Alchemist silver pocket watch (he had carved into it again, but what he carved is a secret), Edward sat near the Fuhrer, Mustang, on the long table.

"Edward Elric, Hagane no Renkinjutsushi, Fullmetal Alchemist, what do you have to report?"

Edward looked over the table. They had all been through a lot together… a lot indeed.

"As you should I know, I have been listed as 'dead' for the last 4 years and in fact I was, or should have been anyway. I went beyond 'the Gate' when I died." Edward began and stopped as he saw the others' confused faces. "When a person dies, they are returned to the Gate from which their tamashii, souls, came from. Beyond the Gate however, is a _parallel_ world. The root of our alchemy, he power which we have in this world is linked to the souls of the dead in the other world." He paused to look around the table again.

"I have been to that world and I have become acquainted to most things which appear in that world. As much as the otherworld is much the same as this world, our world, they do not have some key elements of this world, firstly being rekinjutsu, alchemy, and another obvious difference is they don't have automail."

Mustang brooded over this new information. "So this new world does not have a focus on alchemy, but its real focus is?"

Ed pulled a face and then looked somber, "Around three-quarters of the population is deeply rooted in religion and most of the population is 'focused' on 'science'."

There was a silence in the room.

"Was that all the news, Edward-san?" Hawkeye asked briskly.

Ed hesitated and then pulled the blood red stone out of his pocket where he had stashed it. He set it on the table. Mustang rose to have a better look, picking it up in his hands, frowning a little.

"This is… the Philosopher's Stone?"

Ed nodded.

"How did you come to get this?"

Ed's mouth twitched for a second. "Philosopher's Stones are much easier to make in the other world." He said dryly. "It only requires basic elements, some blood, and some complex chemical reactions ("not alchemic reactions!!" Ed added) and also no human lives are necessary." He looked at it for a second more though. "It was what allowed me to be able to get back."

Mustang nodded and handed the Stone back. "Meeting adjourned. Hagane, follow me."

Ed shot Winry and Scieszka a puzzled look before following the Fuhrer. Scieszka, after a hesitation followed him but Winry and Rose preferred to wait outside.

"Edward-sama!"

Ed turned to see Lieutenants Ross and Brosh. He smiled thinly at them and turned around again to look for the Fuhrer.

"This way, Edward-san." Hawkeye's level voice came out of the rather dark corridor.

Edward entered the Fuhrer's quarters. Mustang was already seated on the couch and he gestured for Ed to take a seat on the opposite one. The Lieutenants and Scieszka took up posts outside the door (they could still hear but could not contribute to the conversation) while Hawkeye remained standing next to Mustang.

"You seemed to have quite an extended holiday for the past 4 years."

"Not that I could help it, Fuhrer!"

"Hmm." Mustang smiled over the hands he had clasped in front of his face. "Well, care to tell me about it?"

"Are you implying that I didn't tell you everything already?"

"Is that the way you talk to the Fuhrer?" Mustang said sarcastically.

"Well I've already told you everything, haven't I? Basically, my father and I looked for ways to return and then I found how to create the Philosopher's stone and I came back."

Ed rolled his eyes at Mustang, though somehow he had a feeling he had forgotten something…

* * *

Wrath tried to punch the side of Al's face. Al dodge it easily and stepped back as Wrath also tried to throw a punch at his stomach. 

"Hah!"

Al grinned, placing his gloved hands on the ground. A cage sprang up to trap the angry Wrath inside. Wrath snarled at Al.

"What is your problem?" Al sounded annoyed.

"What do you mean, 'What is my problem'? You _are_ the problem!"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Heh." Wrath grinned maniacly. "Your brother _did_ kill your mother _again_, you know…"

"Wha-?"

A hand connected with wrath's face. Izumi Curtis withdrew her hand after the painful, stinging smack and stepped back.

"What were you just saying?"

Wrath glared at his 'mother', whom he did not awknowledge.

"It doesn't concern _you_."

Izumi's face was expressionless, but she stared at Wrath with a sort of angry sadness.

"Well, then what you're doing here doesn't concern me either…."

Wrath grinned in triumph.

"… and that means I shall take no liberties to go out of my way."

Izumi picked Wrath up easily and threw him, though she didn't look too happy about doing it…

"C'mon, Al." She looked back over her shoulder as she began to walk away. "Something the matter?"

Al looked at his sensei for a while. He wanted to tell someone, yet didn't at the same time. "Ahh… it's nothing…"

"Izumi nodded and continued walking but still peered cautiously over her shoulder at his when he began to follow her, head down.

Izumi returned her eyes to the front. She had heard a little while ago, that a boy, thought to be dead, had returned. _Ed, might that be you?_

Izumi sighed. That's what she would have to find out.

_

* * *

**[ANCIENT Author's Notes:** _gomen_ but I haven't seen the episodes so I don't know, all I have seen is the movie, where the military still seems to be intact (it still doesn't seem like a government to me)._

_And this 'unexpressable guilt' that Al is feeling, well, that all has a part in the story, at least I thought it did! Anyway, Happy Reading._

* * *

**New Author's Notes: **Nothing to say.

* * *


	4. Happenings

**

* * *

Chapter 4: Happenings** (I cant think of another name)

* * *

As Edward plaited his long gold hair, there was a knock on the door. Ed frowned, this was military headquarters, who was looking for him this early in the morning? 

Ed walked toward the door, slipping the band into place, he twisted the door handle… and stared at the person that looked back at him, with a half-scowl on her face.

"Uh…"

WHAM… a fist connected with Ed's face and he was thrown backwards.

"Oy, sensei! What was that for?" Ed yelled at his sensei, picking himself up off the floor.

(vein) "Why did you run off huh? What on earth did you do?"

"Ehhh…..?!" Ed backed away nervously…

Izumi's eyes glowed red…time for a thrashing…

Behind Izumi though, Al's eyes were round with fright…

"Ehh, niisan? Daijyoubu, are you alright?"

Ed turned and grinned at Al, though Izumi was still trying to attack him.

"Just fine!" (grin)

* * *

Roy yawned and stared at the ceiling, what _was_ that commotion so early in the morning? Mustang sighed. What was that Hagane up to now.. 

"Brigadier General Hawkeye." he called as he got up. No doubt Riza Hawkeye should be up, she was always complaining how lazy he was…

"Fuhrer!" Hawkeye saluted as she stepped in. Mustang was amused to notice she hadn't put on her coat yet but didn't say anything and adjusted his eye patch.

Since getting rooms of her own in the military building, Riza was living in the building, as were most of the people Mustang had called for the meeting. After all, the Hagane was back and everyone wanted to know the events of what happened, even more in detail than what he had said briefly.

"Get me breakfast please, and…" He looked up at the ceiling. "Perhaps you can tell them to keep it down a little.

Hawkeye saluted again. "Hai, Fuhrer!"

Mustang sighed as Hawkeye left the room. She had only shown her true feelings a few years ago when there was the 'rebellion'. He was thought to be leading the rebellion, yet, he hadn't. He had been disguised in Central and had gone to defeat Pride, he had lost an eye in that event, but he supposed he was grateful he didn't _die_ as well.

Silence fell again, and Mustang looked at the ceiling, one eyebrow raised…

* * *

Edward crawled back up off the floor where the last throw had left him. 

"Sensei, what are you doing?"

Izumi glared at her once-student. Edward met the look squarely. He felt a little puzzled too as he glared back. Although she had given him a through whipping, it didn't hurt as much as it usually did, that was if memory served him, and he wasn't sure, after all… it was years ago…

Izumi sighed now, turning away.

"You gonna tell me what happened?"

Ed laughed. "Why do I get the feeling you kind of know already?"

Izumi closed her eyes with a grin and leaned against a wall.

"Yeah. well…"

Ed laughed and began to tell the story. He was aware of Al hiding, just outside the door, but didn't approach him. Knowing he was there was enough for him for now.

The door opened halfway through Ed's telling of how he made the Philosopher's stone and Ed stopped at Mustang walked in.

Mustang glared at Ed pointedly. "That's more than you told me already, Hagane, and we don't even seem halfway"

Ed rolled his eyes toward the wall. "Well, you were outside, if I had known you were listening…"

Mustang was not amused. "I don't think you remember what I told you. I told you that once I had to follow orders and kill two perfectly good people which made my goal to become Fuhrer and not have to be in a situation where I have to obey." He looked at Ed seriously.

"If you don't tell me the whole story, I might give an order which I think gives you a choice but it actually limits you. Hagane, think about that please."

With that Roy Mustang turned and left the room. Riza Hawkeye looked after him. She turned to Ed.

"Hagane, I think I understand your motive, but I understand the Fuhrer's too." She smiled at him. "The Fuhrer worries about you."

Ed thought back to what happened. The 'Colonel' had helped him a lot. Had made him a State Alchemist, given him freedom to look for the Philosopher's stone, had covered up for him when Ed was in a dangerous situation. Perhaps he had a right to know the truth?

As Hawkeye left the room. Ed hesitated a while and then left the room.

Al in the hallway, watched his brother as he smiled and walked past.

* * *

Envy woke up from his collapse from when he had fallen down out of the sky. Where was he? The Fullmetal brat wasn't around, but that didn't mean he was gone. 

_Not to be continued ..._

* * *

**This is where it ends... I think...**

* * *


End file.
